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Freeland man faces additional theft, burglary charges

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A Freeland man already accused of stealing thousands of dollars in valuables during dozens of home break-ins in Luzerne, Schuylkill and Monroe counties faces four more cases.

White Haven police filed charges Tuesday against Christopher Albertson, 33, currently incarcerated at Luzerne County Correctional Facility, Wilkes-Barre, for a quartet of home burglaries in Dennison Township, which White Haven police patrol.

Each of the newest cases carry charges of burglary and theft violations. He was arraigned on the cases Thursday morning by Magisterial District Judge Gerald Feissner, who set bail at $5,000 for each case.

White Haven police accused Albertson of the following burglaries, according to court papers:

- A burglary Dec. 12 on Honey Hole Road, where jewelry was taken after Albertson allegedly entered through a rear door.

- On Dec. 13, a Ramblewood Drive homeowner left the property for about one hour and returned to find the back door and a downstairs window had been forced open. Jewelry, folding knives and cash and coins totalling $6,428 were taken.

- Jewelry was reported stolen Dec. 13 from a home on Barry's Road. A downstairs window was forced open and pieces of the casement's splintered wood were put back in place to avoid detection. The value of the items stolen topped $9,000.

- A state Route 437 home owner said jewelry and a roll of change, totaling about $2,500, were taken Nov. 29.

According to arrest papers, Albertson also admitted to committing the burglaries and awaits a preliminary hearing Oct. 9 at 8 a.m. before Feissner for the White Haven cases.

Albertson faces more than 100 charges in 12 criminal cases for a burglary spree across Luzerne County. All of the cases, aside from those in White Haven, are pending in the Luzerne County Courthouse, court papers state.

He also awaits a preliminary hearing in Monroe County for a burglary in Tobyhanna Township and has a warrant in Schuylkill County for a burglary in Rush Township.

Alberton's alleged spree came to an end on April 19, when Butler Township police apprehended Albertson and Reese Tankalavage, 23, Freeland, on Interstate 80 shortly after a neighbor thwarted a break-in in Bear Creek Township.

Police investigating burglaries in their coverage areas said they noticed a similar pattern in the burglaries - all happened during the daylight hours and appeared to target jewelry. Items disturbed inside the homes during the burglaries were put back in place to avoid detection of a break-in, police said.

Two alleged conspirators were charged as police investigated.

Tankalavage is accused of participating in some of the burglaries that happened in coverage area of the state police at Wyoming and Hazleton, Sugarloaf, Butler Township and Pocono Mountain Regional. He faces conspiracy charges in those cases.

A third man, Cletus Mumie, 29, Hazleton, is accused of participating in burglaries in Butler Township, Sugarloaf and in areas covered by state police at Hazleton. He faces conspiracy charges.

achristman@standardspeaker.com

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